Cherry Push Block

I needed a push block to help me joint some slender wood. This little project took about an hour to make at a cost of $1. I had some cherry scrap and the 2” hardwood balls laying around the shop. I did have to buy two #10 2” brass screws. I’m slow, so it probably took me about a half an hour to lay out, cut and chop the Dovetails and another half hour to do predrill the balls, attach them and apply a coat of linseed oil. After the oil cured, I put a coat of Johnson’s Paste wax on it..

Bruce, you have way too much time on your hands!!! :) You just couldn’t settle for simply screwing a plate onto the sole of the push stick!! Putting it on with dovetails moves this from a simple shop jig to the furniture level.

Seriously this is a nice tool that should help you with your jointing and be much safer to use. I made a something vaguely similar out of some 8/4 cherry but it is no comparison to yours. One thing I have found with mine is that, unless I am careful about the feed pressure, I can put enough pressure using the push block to start bogging the motor down when I am face jointing. But it is a much safer alternative to the little rubber push blocks that are supplied by the manufacturer.

Nice job!!

-- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful- Joshua Marine

A1Jim, No, There is no Gold Inlay. However, I did put a double layer of gold leafing on the bottom surface. Because gold is one of the softest metals, I thought it would prevent marking/marring of the materials being jointed. I did not show the bottom because I didnt want my fellow LJ’s thinking I was, well, being austentatious or just showing off.

Now, if any of you believe that, I’ve got some land in Florida for sale. LOL.

The round balls work great. I spaced them by laying the block on a piece of stock and then placing my hands on it. That gave me the approximate location for the balls. Then I predrilled the base and the balls and just screwed it together using #10, 2” straight slot screws.